Aeroplane construction



H. G. HOOPER.

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13,1918.

Patented Aug. 10 1920.

INVENTUR, Harrzls G. 7700 1 ATTURNEY- UNETED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

AEROPLANE oons'riwc'rion.

Original application filed August 28, 1917, Serial No. 188,623. Divided and this Serial No. 353,876.

tember 13, 1918.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRIS G. HOOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San F ranciscq'in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Aeroplane Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aircraft, more particularly to specific improvements in aeroplane construction, and is a division of my pending application for patent for flying machines, filed by me August 28, 1917, Serial NO. 188,623.

The primary object of the invention is to generally improve the construction of metallic aeroplane sustaining or wing surfaces, and the means of connection between two of such surfaces such as employed in biplane construction, such improvements providing for maximum rigidity, durability, incombustibility, stress resistance, length of life, compactness of form and facility of assemblage and security of inter-connection and. association of such surfaces and their correlated parts, all taken in connection with or considered in the light of inexpensiveness and simplicity of construction. A further object is to provide aeroplane construction of the character disclosed, which will eliminate distortion of the sustaining surfaces, re .duce the skin or surface friction and increase the strength, efliciency and serviceability of an aeroplane. I

lVith the above and other objects in view, such other objects appearing during the course of the following description, the invention further consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, combination, association and inter-relation and mode of operation and connection of parts, members and features, all as dis closed in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specification, and finally set out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional view of an aeroplane wing or sustaining surface, the same being the upper wing, also showing struts connected with said wing and the means employed for connecting such struts; and

Fig. 2 is a substantially vertical transverse sectional view taken through the for- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 19.20.

application filed Sepward Fig. 1.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, A designates the plane or sustaining surface of an aeroplane, the particular surface or plane shown being the upper one of a biplane, and B designates the struts adapted for. connecting the plane A with another or the lower sustaining surface or plane, not shown. The plane preferably consists of a series of continuous metallic sheets or walls 1, such walls being connected with one allother along their longitudinal edges by being plaited, creased or inter-folded as at 2, said connections preferably providing lap joints. These sections 1 comprise spaced upper and lower walls 3 and 4:. The lower wall 4 is arched upwardly transversely into contact with the upper wall 3 so as to produce what may be termed hollow truss beams 5 ranging nsversely of the plane formation and within which the plaits or folds 2 are flattened as at 6 to produce a strong reinforcement. These beams 5 are of channel beam formation and may be secured along their upper faces to the upper wall 3 by rivets 7 or other fastening elements. The struts B are received within the beams 5, said struts being preferably of hollow construction and being closed at their upper ends. The fastening means or rivets 7 are preferably extended through said closed ends so as to secure the struts within the beams. The hollow beams are closed along their bottoms by plates 8 which are secured by bolts or rivets 9 to the lower wall a and lie in the plane of said lower wall, there being provided counter-sinks 10 in which said plates 8 engage. The plates 8 are provided with openings 11 through which the struts 13 extend, and said plates in thus surrounding and engaging the struts and in being secured rigidly to the wall f suitably and effectively reinforce said lower wall and pro duce a substantially uninterrupted extension of such lower wall adjacent to the points therein where the hollow beam formations are provided. The plaits or folds 2 may likewise be flattened out upon the plane surface or walls 3 and 4 so as to provide for more effective reinforcement of the plane structure in the zones adjacent to the struts. iVhile I have shown one wing or plane of the aeroplane and struts connected with part of the construction shown in said plane, it is to be understood that the lower plane, not shown, may be likewise connected with the struts and constructed in itself as is the upper plane such as the one shown, and it will'be readily seen that an narily employed in aeroplane wlng construction, but provides an inherent reinforcement together with a oint or socket formation for the struts, and the extension of said struts into the hollow beams provides for an increase of structural rigidity.

It isto be understood that various minor changes as to details of construction, size, shape and proportion of parts and elements of'th'e invention, may be resorted to when.

required, 'ithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In improvements of the character disclosed,means for producing sustentation by atmospheric reaction comprising spaced upper and lower walls, said lower wall being developed into a hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contact with said upper wall, and sheets of filler material being extended across the open mouth of said hollow beam.

2. In improvements of the character disclosed, means for producing sustentation by atmospheric re-action comprising spaced upper andlower walls, said lower wall being developed intoa hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contact with said upper wall, and sheets of filler materialbemg extended across the open mouth of said nollow beam; said hOllOW'bGELHl being adapted to receive'a strut and said filler mate:

rial sheets having openings therein to receive said struts.

3. ,The combination, with means for'producing sustentation by atmospheric re-aotion, said means comprising spaced upper and lower walls, the lower wall being developed into a hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contact with said upper wall, of struts beingmounted within said hollow beam.v

l. The combination, with means for producing sustentation by atmospheric re-action, said means comprising spaced upper and lower walls, the lower wall being developed into a hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contactwithsaid upper wall, of struts being mounted within said hollow beam, and means for securing said struts and hollow beam to one another and to the upper wall.

5. "The combination, with means for producing' sustentation by atmospheric re-action, said means comprising-spaced upper and lower walls, the lower wall being developed into a hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contact with said upper wall, of struts being mounted within said hollow beam, means for securing said struts and hollow beam to one another and to the upper wall, and filler sheets being extended across the openmouth of said hollow beam and having openings therein to receive said struts.

6. The combination, with means for producing sustentation by atmospheric reaction, said means comprising spaced upper and lower walls, the lower wall being developed into a hollow truss beam directed upwardly into contact with said upper wall, of struts being mounted within said hollow beam, means for securing said struts and hollow beam to one another and'to the upper wall, filler sheets being extended across the open mouth of said hollow beam and having openings therein to receive said struts, and means extending through the upper wall,'hollow beam and struts for securing said upper wall, strutsand beam, to one another.

7.111 improvements of the character disclosed, means for producing sustentation by atmospheric re-a-ction comprising spaced upper and lower walls, the structure of said lower wall being bent upwardly and developed into a hollow beam which extends into contact with the upper wall.

8. In improvements of the'character dis-.

closed, members for producing sustentation by atmospheric reaction, a strut extending between said members, and a beam associated with the structure of one of said members and with which the strut is in turn associated; said last named member being provided with upper and lower walls between which said beam is disposed, said beam consisting of a distortion of the structure of one of such walls. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence or" two subscribing witnesses.

HARRIS G. H'OOPER. Witnesses:

RAYMOND Ivns BLAKESLEE, WILLIS S. MITCHEL 

